In North Jersey’s 9th District, U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell handily defeated Republican Shmuley Boteach. The tougher battle was in June, when Pascrell beat the odds in a hard-fought primary race against Democratic Rep. Steve Rothman.

Pascrell was the most prolific fundraiser of all the state congressional candidates this year, raising $2,649,357, according to FEC filings.

Still, Boteach, a celebrity rabbi and self-help guru with a knack for drumming up quirky headlines, was determined to give Pascrell a run for his money. And the Republican also got a boost from a new super PAC called Patriot Prosperity, a group funded by Nevada casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, which chipped in $1 million worth of Boteach ads.

Pascrell last night said it might be his "biggest victory ever in terms of margin of votes" and that he looks forward to helping break the political gridlock in Washington.

"I hope that I’m going to be part of getting people together in the House," he said. "I’m still trying. I never give up. I respect the institution."

The 11 incumbents and Payne benefited from their formidable fundraising skills. Together, they raised nearly six times as much money as their challengers — $17.3 million to $3 million — and outspent them by the same ratio, according to Federal Election Commission records.

In the most closely watched contest, Republican Jon Runyan won a second term in South Jersey’s 3rd District. The former Philadelphia Eagles lineman defeated Democrat Shelley Adler, who sought to recover the seat once held by her late husband Rep. John Adler.

In the 5th District, U.S. Rep. Scott Garrett won a sixth term over Adam Gussen, the Democratic deputy mayor of Teaneck. Garrett also benefited from a solid fundraising advantage, collecting $2,304,659 this election cycle and spending just short of $1 million. It was the second-largest haul of any congressional candidate this year.

New Jerseyans gave comfortable victory margins to GOP Reps. Leonard Lance in the 7th District, Frank LoBiondo in the 2nd District, Chris Smith in the 4th District, and Rodney Frelinghuysen in the 11th District. All had the advantage among registered voters except for LoBiondo, who will begin his 10th term in Congress next year.

On the Democratic side, U.S. Rep. Albio Sires sailed to victory in the 8th District, centered around reliably blue Hudson County. Reps. Rob Andrews won South Jersey’s 1st District, Rush Holt in Central Jersey’s 12th District, and in the 6th District, Frank Pallone fended off tea party challenger Anna Little for the second time.

Holt used the relief efforts of Hurricane Sandy to draw a distinction between the philosophies of the two parties. He said the federal and state government provided necessary relief for state residents, particularly those with less financial means.

"This is not a ‘You’re on your own’ country," Holt told the crowd at the Heldrich hotel in New Brunswick. "The country said to New Jersey, ‘You are not alone.’ "

One incumbent — Rothman — won’t be returning to Washington in January.

Because of national population shifts following the most recent census, New Jersey lost one congressional seat and new district maps were drawn. Rothman challenged Pascrell in the Democratic primary and lost.

Star-Ledger staff writers David Giambusso and Jarrett Renshaw contributed to this report.